"Real" cellular phone numbers are a very finite pool and require nontrivial amounts of money, a physical phone (with a burned-in hardware identifier), an in-person interaction, and government ID that validated against a state database.
You'd think so, but no.
I signed up for T-Mobile service early this year with no ID, and paid cash.
The store is so eager to complete the transaction that it keeps a government ID document in a drawer and the sales people whip it out whenever anyone looks queasy about providing information.
I didn't resist giving my information. All I did was pause because I wasn't sure if I brought my ID with me. Even that little hesitation was enough for the clerk to say, "Don't worry about it. I got you covered" and he pulled out the ID.
So I have a T-Mobile account that I can pay for with cash and no ID on file, and someone else's address.
Now, if a government was really interested in me, it could probably pull the security camera video or follow the signal around or whatever. But it turns out that KYC is easily bypassed when the incentives are right.
You'd think so, but no.
I signed up for T-Mobile service early this year with no ID, and paid cash.
The store is so eager to complete the transaction that it keeps a government ID document in a drawer and the sales people whip it out whenever anyone looks queasy about providing information.
I didn't resist giving my information. All I did was pause because I wasn't sure if I brought my ID with me. Even that little hesitation was enough for the clerk to say, "Don't worry about it. I got you covered" and he pulled out the ID.
So I have a T-Mobile account that I can pay for with cash and no ID on file, and someone else's address.
Now, if a government was really interested in me, it could probably pull the security camera video or follow the signal around or whatever. But it turns out that KYC is easily bypassed when the incentives are right.